Missing clown no laughing matter as circus asks for help to find Boris

By
TRACEY PRISK

June 25, 2014, 4 a.m.

What may have started off as a prank has turned into a costly problem for the Great Moscow Circus

STOP CLOWNING AROUND: The Great Moscow Circus’ Igor is missing his friend Boris who was stolen from Gardiner Road last week.
Photo: STEVE GOSCH 0623sgclown

WHAT may have started off as a prank has turned into a costly problem for the Great Moscow Circus whose three-metre tall inflatable clown Boris still hasn’t been found after he was stolen more than a week ago.

Circus general manger Greg Hall said while he’s had lots of inquiries about Boris, he’s still no closer to finding him.

Boris was last seen in the front yard of a Gardiner Road house at around 1am on Saturday, June 14.

“I thought the $500 reward might tickle someone enough for them to come forward, but it hasn’t,” he said.

Mr Hall said Boris would be “very expensive” to replace, and was virtually useless to whoever stole him because they didn’t take the compressor needed to inflate him.

“All they’ve got is a lump of rubber, even if they did have the compressor they can’t really put him up in their backyard or lounge room, can they?” he said.

“I think it’s a prank but he would have taken 10 or 15 minutes to deflate, if it was me I would have run out of patience by then.”

Mr Hall said it would have taken more than one person to carry Boris, and a ute or truck would have been required to transport him.

“Igor, Sasha and Vanya and all the other clowns miss him, we all want him back,” Mr Hall said.

“Where’s Boris? What’s a circus without a clown?”

Mr Hall would like anyone who knows what happened to Boris to contact Orange police on 6363 6399 or the Great Moscow Circus directly.

Despite the theft, Mr Hall said Orange had welcomed the circus and he expects ticket sales to reach as high as 10,000 before a final show on Sunday.

“It’s a quality show and I think word of mouth has helped,” he said.

The Great Moscow Circus previously visited Orange for a week three years ago.